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Wolfpack, Wildcats look to stay undefeated

By WTOP Staff

JOHN MARSHALL
AP College Football Writer

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — NFL coaches get four chances to see how players respond to the game spotlight, plenty of opportunity to figure out their strengths and weaknesses, which players they’ll be able to count on.

College coaches have no such luxury. Their first glimpse of how players handle pressure comes in games that matter.

“We have no preseason or scrimmage games in Division I football, so you almost have to sort things out in the first few games of the season,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said. “Not only what you’re doing and how you’re doing, but who you are doing it with.”

The Wildcats have been fortunate so far — the feeling-out process has included a pair of wins.

Arizona (2-0) opened the season with a blowout victory against UNLV and last week went on the road for the first time, outlasting a veteran Texas-San Antonio in the noisy Alamodome.

The road gets tougher this week.

Up next for the Wildcats will be their toughest test yet — Nevada on Saturday at Arizona Stadium.

The Wolfpack and their Pistol offense can be hard to defend, especially with multidimensional Cody Fajardo running the show, requiring lots of discipline by the defense.

The bigger test for Arizona will be Nevada’s defense.

The Wolfpack are aggressive and love to blitz, putting pressure on opposing offenses to make quick, good decisions. They corralled one of the nation’s best passing teams last week, allowing Washington State to throw for 389 yards, but holding them scoreless in three trips to the red zone in a 24-13 win over the Cougars last week.

“They will do a lot of inside blitzes with their linebackers and they will do it against anybody,” Rodriguez said. “They will really pressure you and force you to execute, so we will have to be ready for that.”

Here are a few things to look for when the Wolfpack and Wildcats meet in the desert:

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NEVADA’S CHALLENGE: The Wolfpack have faced two straight spread offenses and held up fairly well. Their next test will be the biggest so far. Arizona has had one of the nation’s most prolific offenses in three seasons under Rodriguez and is fifth nationally this year with 620.5 yards per game. The Wildcats have playmakers all over the field and set a school record with 787 total yards in their opening win over UNLV. “It will be a litmus test, for sure,” Nevada coach Brian Polian said.

REMATCH TIME: The last time these teams met was in the 2012 New Mexico Bowl. And, what a game it was. Nevada led 21-0 early and was up 48-25 with 1:48 left, seemingly in control. Then Matt Scott hit Austin Hill on a short touchdown pass, Arizona recovered the onside kick and won it 49-48 when Scott threw another TD pass.

FAJARDO’S FINALE: Fajardo has struggled with injuries during his career, but appears to be healthy for his senior season. He is the only returning FBS quarterback with 7,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing, and has accounted for 581 total yards and two touchdowns so far this season. Fajardo had arguably the best game of his career against Arizona in the New Mexico Bowl, throwing for 256 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 140 and another score.

RUNNING WILDCATS: Arizona has had no trouble running the ball so far without Ka’Deem Carey. A two-time All-American and the school’s all-time leading rusher, Carey left a big hole when he headed to the NFL. Terris Jones-Grigsby and Nick Wilson have been just fine filling his shoes. Jones-Grigsby ran for 124 yards and a score in the opener before missing the UTSA game with an injury. Wilson had an 85-yard TD run against UNLV and ran for 174 yards against UTSA.

PACK IN THE RED ZONE: Part of Nevada’s success defensively has been keeping teams out of the end zone when they get in close. The Wolfpack have allowed opponents to score three times — one touchdown — in seven trips inside the 20-yard line, ranking fourth nationally in red-zone defense. Limiting Arizona’s scoring in the red zone will be key for Nevada to have a chance at winning consecutive games against Pac-12 schools for the first time in school history.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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